One Bullet Left In Acura’s Gun With Nine Hours Remaining

Ford still running in formation at the head of GTD

28 January 2018, 10:51 AM

With nine hours remaining in the 2018 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, the race has emerged into a fight between Action Express’ two Cadillacs and a sole Acura Team Penske ARX-05.

As it stands, the #5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac is running with a slim lead of just 15 seconds with Filipe Albuquerque at the wheel. Second in the running order is the #7 Acura of Dane Cameron, the pair swapping places during each pit cycle. Making up the top three is the second Action Express Machine, the Whelen Engineering DPi V.R, which was running second, but had a delay at its most recent stop, the team replacing the rear end.

Just outside the top three, the #32 United Autosports Ligier is fourth, four laps off the lead, two laps clear of the #54 CORE autosport ORECA which sits fifth.

During the past three hours, there’s been some attrition in the class, the sister #6 Penske Acura having issues with its cockpit, ESM meanwhile, has officially retired both its Nissan DPis.

In the GTLM ranks, there was little to report from hours 12 to 15, the Ford freight train still rolling on, with the #66 leading the #67. The two continue to run in tandem, Ryan Briscoe briefly handing the #67 the lead, getting past Bourdais, but it didn’t last long.

The two Its are now two laps clear of the other GTLM runners, the #3 Corvette third, and the #4 Corvette fourth.

In GT Daytona the #86 Michael Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 held onto the lead with Alvaro Parente behind the wheel

Chasing the #86 is currently the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with Bryce Miller currently driving the car, which was holding onto the lead until the latest round of pit stop cycles.

The team of familiar Aston Martin drivers taking on this year’s Rolex 24 in a Ferrari 488 with the #51 Spirit of Race crew are on the final podium spot with Paul Dalla Lana aboard. Down to fourth is the #11 Grasser Lamborghini, which was running second, before the team opted to change its brakes in the 15th hour.

The former class leaders, the #29 Montaplast by Land Audi R8 LMS, are currently in eighth and working their way back up the field after being hit with a stop and hold for five minutes penalty relating to the refueling rate.